Frustrated self-employed care worker can't get Covid-19 vaccine
Jaci Clifford from Weymouth: "I've tried and tried, but keep hitting a brick wall".
Earlier this week, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed that a third of social care staff in England have still not had the Covid-19 vaccine. That's despite those workers being among the groups that are prioritised.
But what about private carers - or carers that aren't registered with the Care Quality Commission(CQC).
Despite going to exhaustive lengths, one self-employed carer from Weymouth has been unable to book a jab.
Jaci Clifford from Candoo Care feels she should be prioritised like other social care workers - but says because she's unregistered and not with an agency, she's been pushed down the priority list.
Dorset Council told us that all registered care providers - using the Care Quality Commission (CQC) list - have been given the opportunity to have a vaccine. It added that covers all paid carers - whether self-employed, paid for privately by a self-funder, or someone on Direct Payment - and those employed through an agency or provider.
The Council said that from a clinical point of view, any 'paid for' carers who've not been contacted already, including those unregistered, will be offered a vaccination as part of Cohort Priority 6
But Jaci says that all front-line social care workers should be in Cohort Priority 2.
NHS England Standard Operating Procedures COVID-19 vaccine deployment programme: Frontline social care workers (JCVI Priority Cohort 2) state:
"The priority 2 cohort therefore includes: All frontline social care workers directly working with people clinically vulnerable to COVID19 who need care and support irrespective of where they work (for example in people鈥檚 own homes, day centres, care homes for working age adults or supported housing); whether they care for clinically vulnerable adults or children3 ; or who they are employed by (for example local government, NHS private sector or third sector employees)"
Jaci shared her frustration with 91热爆 Radio Solent reporter Laurence Herdman.
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